The Brooklyn Nets are heading into the 2025 NBA offseason with plenty to do in terms of preparation for the 2025 NBA Draft and free-agency once the playoffs are over. Brooklyn has five picks in the upcoming Draft, including four first-round picks, but part of their summer will be spent on deciding who will be part of the team for the 2025-26 season aside from the rookies.
The Nets are projected to have the most cap space in the league by far this offseason and it’s because they could have as many as 12 players that can be free-agents heading into the upcoming free-agent cycle. With players like D’Angelo Russell, Cam Thomas, and Ziaire Williams approaching free-agency with some possibility of playing for another team next season, Brooklyn could have plenty of room on the roster.
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Time will tell how aggressive the Nets will be in free-agency and if they are going to maximize the amount of cap space they have heading into the 2025 offseason. With that being said, here are the players who will be under contract for the 2025-26 season, assuming that nothing else changes between now and when the regular season comes around:
Nic Claxton ($25.3 million)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 03: Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Barclays Center on April 03, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Claxton is coming off a season in which he posted solid numbers, but they were down from what he did during his previous two seasons with the franchise. Claxton averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 56.3% from the field and 51.3% from the free-throw line.
Cam Johnson ($20.5 million)
Mar 11, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) reacts in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Johnson had the best season of his career as he was put in a position to show the entirety of his skillset outside of his outside shooting. Johnson averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 39.0% from deep. For Johnson to be earning close to $20 million per year for the rest of his deal is going to be a value for Brooklyn moving forward.
Noah Clowney ($3.39 million)
Mar 26, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) brings the ball up court against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Clowney showed some promise this season with how much he grew in terms of his three-point shooting under the tutelage of first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez. While Clowney showed that he could play alongside Claxton due to his shooting, the former Alabama Crimson Tide also showed that he still has some improvement areas in his game, notably his driving to the rim and physicality in the paint.
Dariq Whitehead ($3.26 million)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 06: Dariq Whitehead #0 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on January 06, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Whitehead played just 20 games for the Nets this season as he spent the majority of the campaign in Long Island to continue his development and get his reps in the G League. While Whitehead has not shown much at the NBA level thus far in his career, he is one of the recent first-round picks for the Nets that could see more playing time next season if the franchise commits to player development moving forward.
Maxwell Lewis ($2.22 million)
Mar 29, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Maxwell Lewis (27) looks on during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Lewis came to the Nets this season in a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Lakers and he showed some signs of being an impactful player coming off the bench. In all, Lewis averaged 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42.2% from the field and 38.0% from behind the three-point land during his limited time on the roster. He should see more playing time next season.
Tosan Evbuomwan (Two-Way)
Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Tosan Evbuomwan (12) with a layup against Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (30) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Similar to Lewis, Evbuomwan came to the team during midseason as the Nets signed him to a Two-Way Contract. Evbuomwan was one of the pleasant surprises for the season as he made an impact right away with his scoring and mature presence as he averaged 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 42.7% from the floor and 31.2% from deep.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Who is under contract for the Nets during the 2025-26 NBA season?